Change-speed driving gear for motor vehicles



C. H. CATQN CHANGE SPEED DRIVING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 19, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l /7a /2 s 10 W3 61/9. Caro/v z 40" AW\ Ma Ma mg azgs.

Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,069

c. H. cAToN CHANGE SPEED DRIVING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 19, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VENTOR- c. H. Caro/v Dec. 27, 1927.

1,654,069 c. H. CATON CHANGE SPEED DRIVING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept 19, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ill l atented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HENRY CATON, OF LEEDS, ENGLAND.

CHANGE-SPEED DRIVING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed September 19, 1925, Serial No. 57,369, and in Great Britain September 22, 1924.

This invention relates to the type or class of driving gear in which the main shaft of the motor has a shorter shaft in alignl'nent with it carrying certain driving gears which mesh with other driving gears on a lay shaft parallel thereto and my said invention eo11- sists in the arrangement of the wheels and the method of engaging said wheels one with another and with their driving and driven wheels so that instead of transmitting three speeds forward and one speed in the reverse direction, 1 am enabled to transmit two speeds in the forward d ireetion and two speeds in the reverse direction, while the ar rangenicnt of the gearing, the handle-lever and fork devices which I employ are of such a character as enable me to mount said gear ing and the devices which operate some within the same space and the same gear case as are the well known wheels (for example those known as the Fordson gears) used for effecting three speeds forward and one speed reverse hereinhefore referred to.

in order that my said invention may be readily ruiderstood, I have hereunto appended sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, to which hy letters and figures, reference is made in the following description Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing my arrangement of gearing upon the usual arrangement of shafts.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end view of certain of the parts shown by Fig. 1, as seen looking from left to right of said figure,

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts mounted to the rear of the gearing shown by Fig. 2.

Fi g. 4: is a view of the parts shown by Fig. 3 as seen looking from the rear of said Fig. El.

Figs. 5, (3 and 7 are front elevation, side view and plan respectively of an operating fork constructed in aceordziniure with my invention, the same hei'ng drawn to an enlarged scale as conuiared with the other figures.

in carrying my invention into elloct l eu1- ploy the shafts 2, 25, i and I) which are arranged as heretofore. However, on. the shaft 3 which in alignment with the main driving shaft 2 of the motor, I now spline two wheels t and 5 which are separately controlled by hand operated levers 6 and 7. These hand levers 6 and are arranged,

K through the arms 8 and 9 fixed upon their re spective shafts 10 and 11, to operate toothed quadrant members 12 and 13 (fixed on said shafts 10 and 11) which engage with their respective forks 14 and 15 that take into the grooves a b of the wheels 4: and The actions of the toothed members 12 and 13 upon the sliding forks l t and 15 will, he hereinafter explained. The wheels t and 5 are, as stated, spliued upon the shaft 3 so that by the teeth of the wheel 4t heing caused to en.- gage by its teeth with those of the dog clutch (Z formed in the wheel l6 (which is fixed upon the shaft 2) motion is transmitted to the shaft 2:5 and therefore also to the wheel 5. The fork 15 which spans the groove Z) in the wheel 5 may be operated by its handle '7 so that the dog-clutch 7" on said wheel 5 is moved over the teeth of a wheel 1'? which runs loosely upon the shaft 3.

The shaft 3 is supported in antifriction bearings 18 and 18 (tl latter being carried by the wheel 1(3) as shown. hylfig. 1

The fork l l; operated by the hand lever fl is employed for causing the wheel i; to on gage with the dog clutch (,Z of the wheel .16 and this fork 1a is always moved at alternate times with a fork 14L because these said forks are respectively operated by the teeth w, of the toothed quadrant 12.

The fork 14 engages with the groove a in the hub of a wheel 19 which runs loose- 1y upon the shaft 4t and the teeth of this wheel 19 are arranged so that when same is slid upon the shaft l said teeth may engage with the teeth of a dog clutch g in a wheel 20 which is fixed upon the shaft at. This wheel 20 meshes with the wheel 16 mounted upon the main shaft 2 so that at all times when the wheel 16 is in motion the wheel 20 revolves. On the some shaft 41-. is another wheel 20 mounted loosely so that hy the fork 15 taking into the groove l)" of said wheel 20 the hand lever 7 may operate said .vheel 20 at alternate times with the opt-rating of the wheel 5 by the fork 15 anutharulle 6. These alternate actions of the links 15 and 15 are effected by the toothed quadrant member '13 operating same as is heroinaftlu' explained. ()11 the huh of the wheel 20% dog clutch teeth h are formed so that same may be made to engage with dog clutch teeth It formed on the wheel 21 which is fixed to the driven shaft 5.

The shaft 4 is mounted in anti friction bearings 22 and 23, while the hub of the wheel 16 and the end of the shaft 2 are supported by the antifriction bearings 24"..

Meshing with the wheels a and 19 an intermediate wheel 25" which runs loosely upon a stud or supporting shaft and is used ill) for the purpose of effecting the reverse drive as is hereinafter explained.

The several wheels and their operating forks, as shown by the drawings, are in their shaft 3 and also to the wheel 5, but at suchtime it will be observed that the wheels 20, 19-and 20 will be revolving idly. To utilize the motion of the shaft 3 when revolving as described the wheel 2O n'iay be caused to engage by the clutches 71 and Z: with the wheel 21, in which case motion will be transmitted to the shaft 5 'at the same speed as the shaft 2 since the wheels and 2O are of equal diameter, thus the high speed is effected.

On moving the wheel 20 so that the clutches h and 7c are notin engagement, by then sliding the wheel 5 to engage with the wheel 17 motion will be transmitted through the shaft 3, the wheel 17 and the wheel 21 again to theshaft 5 but at the second speed.

In this case the wheels 5, 20 19 and 20 will be running idly while the wheel 1 will be acting as a dog clutch for transmitting motion to the shaft 3 alone.

In order to'efiect reverse motion when driving atthe highspeed the teeth of the wheel 19 are made to mesh or engage with the dog clutch g on the wheel 20 so that as this wheel 20 is constantly revolving with the wheel 16 the wheel 19 will at this time be made to revolve. And while thus revolving the rotary motion of the wheel 19 is transmitted through the intermediate wheel 25 to the wheel 4 whiohis not in engagement with the wheel 16 but which will transmit the desired motion to the shaft The wheel 5 will then remain in engagement with the wheel 20 while this latter is coupled direct by the clutches h and Z: to the wheel 21, hence motion in the reverse direction is transmitted to the shaft 5 at the higher speed.

To transmit motion in thereverse direction at the lower speed the wheel 19 will re main in gear so as to be driven by the wheel 20 and the wheel 16, while it will also transmit motionby the intermediate wheel to the wheel 4. this will then rotate the shaft 3 and the wheel 5 will be maintained in gear with the wheel 20 which is now moved out of engagement with the wheel 21 and runs idly on its shaft 4. However, the wheel 5 will have been moved into mesh or gear with the wheel 17 so that this latter will transmit motion from the wheel 21 to the shaft 5" at the lower speed. I r

The teeth w, 10 and 10 of the quadrants 12 and 13 are of the form or shape shown by Fig. 3 and are made to engage with projections 71, p p and 72 respectively which are formed upon the hubs of the forks 14, 14, 15 and 15. Thus as the said quadrants are oscillated by their shafts 10 and 11 so will the teeth move the projections 79-19 outwardly from the central position shown. However, this movement outwardly. irrespective of any n'iovement of the shafts l1) and 11 upon which the quadrants 12 and '13 are mounted, is limited on account of the projecting portions s, 8 upon said quadrant coming in contact with the opposite edges of the projections 72- 1) according to the direction in which the shafts 10 and il l are oscillated. Further than this the out-or ends of the teeth 10-40 take into the slots which exist between the projections p and other projections tf" whenever said teeth are oscillated from their central positions shown by Fig. 3 in an outward directi n by reason of the outer ends of: said teeth dcscending or entering the spaces described. This enables each tooth to return its respective fork 14. 15 to its central position by reason of the teeth acting upon the projections t-t until the central position is reached after which the outer end of each tooth will move clear of said projections t#, leaving same in their said central positions.

In connection with the same fork levers 14.-15 I use, in each case, spring actuated plungers 25, 23325" and 25 which are mount ed to slide within their respective boxes or casings in known manncr; but the outer ends of these plungers are of wedge shape to act in conjunction with the inclined surfaces at w (in each case) forn'ied on their respective forks 1 1-45. Thus by the actions of said wedge shaped ends upon the inclined parts of the forks. these latter are retained in their central positions shown by Fig. 3. \Vhcrcas when the forks commence to slide over their guidii'ig shafts 17, 17" from their said coin tral positions the actions of the inclines :1 upon their hubs cause the wedge shaped ends of the plungcrs to i'cccdo within their casing at which time the hub of the fork may pass beneath same until the apex of the incline is reached on which the pressure of the spring upon the plungcr forces its wedge shaped end down the curved surface adjoining the inclined surface .1: and there. causes the fork to suddenly move forward and effect the complete engagement of the part which its fork respectively operates.

By the series of driving whccls being ar ranged as hcrcinbefore described and by cer tain of them being enabled to be in continuous motion (although ineficctivcly) I am enabled to effect the gearing of one wheel with another more easily than it is possible till ion

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ii ll when starting from the stationary position to the highest speed by engaging or coupling same up in the first place, since the wheels when first coupled up have the effect of a. merely starting certain of the other wheels into action, but without transmitting motion either backward or forward, hence when the other wheels which are for engageniient with their respective clutch devices are then engaged, their respective speeds more nearly approximate those of the driving wheels so that the engagement of the clutch devices is thus more readily effected.

finch being the nature and object of my said invention, what I claim is l. in. change speed gearing for motor vehicles, the combination of a main driving shaft, a gear fixed to said shaft and. pro" vided with a clutch member, a second shaft in alignment with the main shaft, a gear splined upon said second shaft and having a clutch member adapted td cooperate with the clutch member of the gear on the main driving shaft, a second. gear splined upon the second shaft and having a clutch member, a gear loosely mounted on the second shaft and having a clutch member adapted to coopcrate with the clutch member of said second gear on the same shaft, means for sliding the gear wheels splined to the second shaft longitudinally of that shaft to effect engagement or disengagement of said clutches, a third shaft adapted to be connected to wheels of a vehicle, a transmission wheel fixed to said third shaft and engaging the loose gear on the second shaft and pro vided with a clutch member, a fourth shaft, a g ar loosely mounted on said fourth shaft and having clutch teeth adapted to cooperate with the clutch on the said transmission wheel, a gear fast on the fourth shaft, meshing with the gear on the main shaft and pr0- \idod with a clutch .n'iember, a SOCOl'lfl gear loosely mounted on the fourth shaft and havin a clutch member adapted to cooperate with the clutch of the gear fast on that shaft, and means for sliding the loose gears on the 'lonrth shaft longitudinally of that shaft to render the coopin'al ing clutches inierative or inoperatiwi.

lln change sprral. gearing for motor vehicles, the combimition of a, main driving shaft, a gear linijal to said shaft and provided with a clutch membr-rr, a second shaft in alignment with the main shaft, a gear splined upon said second shaft and having a clutch member adapted to cooperate with the clutch member of the gear on the main driving shaft,-a second gear splined upon the second shaft and having a clutch member, a gear loosely mounted on the second shaft and having a clutch member adapted to cooperate with the clutch men'iber of said second gear on the same shaft, means for sliding the gear wheels splined to the sec- 0nd shaft longitudinally of that shaft to effect engagement or disengagement of said clutches, a third shaft adapted to be connected to wheels of a vehicle, a transmission wheel lined to said third shaft and engaging the loose gear on the second shaft and provided with a clutch member, a fourth shaft, a gear loosely mounted on said fourth shaft and having clutch teeth adapted to cooperate with the clutch on the said transmission wheel, a gear fast on the fourth shaft, meshing with the gear on the main shaft and provided with a clutch member, a second gear loosely mounted on the fourth shaft and l'iaving a clutch n'iember adapted to cooperate with the chitch of the gear fast: on that shaft, means for sliding the loose gears on the fourth shaft longitudinally of that shaft to render the cooperating clutches operative or inoperati vc, and a freely rotatable reverse gear meshing with the first said gear on the second shaft and the last said. gear on the fourth shaft 3. in change speed. gearing for motor ve hides, the (5()]l'll3ll12tl)l0ll of a main driving shaft, a driven shaft adapted to be connected to wheels of a vehicle, said shafts being out of alignnieijit, two internualiale shafts arranged, respectively, in alignment with the driving and driven shafts, a gear fixed on the drive shaft, a gear lined on the driven. shaft, a gear on one of the intermediate shafts in constant engagement with the gear on the driving shaft, a gear on the other intermediate shaft in constant engage ment with the gear on the driven shaft, two gears splined to one of the intermediate shafts and each movable longitudinally of the shaft independently of the other, two gears loosely mounted on the other intermediate shaft and each adapted to be moved longitudinally thereof independently of the other, one of the last said gears being in constant engagement with one of ti 5 gears splined to the other intermediate shaft, means for moving said splinod and loose gears longitndinally of their smpporting shafts, and clutches adapted to reiaiectively connect the gears movable longitiulinally of the intermediate shafts with the lined gears on the aligned driving and driven shafts and with the other gear on the same intermediate shaft.

41:. in change speed gearing for motor vchicles, the combination of a main driving shaft, a driven, shaft adapted to be connectcd to wheels of a vehicle, said shafts being out of alig gnment, two internualiatc shafts arranged, respectively, in alignment with the driving and driven shafts, a gear fixed on the driving shaft, a gear fixed on the driven shaft, a gear on. one of the intermediate shafts in constant engagement with the gear on the driving shaft, a gear on the other intermediate shaft in constant onill) reverse gear meshing with the other pair of loose and splined gears, means for movingeaid splined and loose gears longitudinally of their supporting shafts, and clutches adapted to respectively connect the gears movable longitudinally of the intermediate shafts with the gears on the aligned driving and driven shafts and with the other gear on the same intermediate shaft.

CHARLES HENRY (EATON. 

